A personal note to the IDEA Community:
On behalf of the board of directors, members and colleagues around the globe, I’m deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Patti Wilson of Affiliated Engineers. After a brave battle with cancer, Patti succumbed on Monday Feb 19 peacefully at home with her family.
Patti was a dear friend to many of us at IDEA, a colleague and a true professional. She was a fixture at the IDEA Campus Energy Conference for many, many years where her brilliant smile and warm heart welcomed all in her path.
For Patti, this event was like the swallows returning to Capistrano, where she was “among her tribe”, a second family. I can’t count how many people Patti and Affiliated hosted dinners at every Campus Energy Conference – busloads and busloads and busloads.
Patti had a genuine, easy laugh, always looked you in the eye, and made time to listen, in the truest sense. Patti made it her mission to connect with people, especially those attending IDEA for the first time.
She was always prepared, paid attention to detail and was simply a step ahead. I recall a time when IDEA was hosting a large delegation from Japan and Patti arranged for the IDEA delegates to have our business cards two-sided printed in Japanese for proper presentation to our guests. She even coached us how to present a card two-handed, facing the person with an appropriate depth of bow.
She served with pride on the IDEA Board of Directors and the Executive Committee and as Chair in 2014 – 2015 after receiving the gavel from Joe Brillhart of JCI in June 2014. Patti wore the white suit before Hillary Clinton and women in Congress made it a fashion statement for leadership.
In a quiet moment, and in your own way, please say a prayer for our friend Patti Wilson, her husband Matt and their children Megan, Jack and Clare.
My faith tells me that she is now in a better place.
I know that Patti made IDEA a better place for all the years we had together.
Rob Thornton, President & CEO
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